400,000 in Massachusetts must reapply for health coverage

Group enrolled in temporary plans

The state is launching a major effort to reach out to almost 400,000 Massachusetts residents who must reapply for health insurance because they were enrolled in temporary plans after the state's health care marketplace website crashed last year.

State officials fear that many of those people, who don't get health insurance through an employer, don't know they need to reapply.

The Massachusetts Health Connector, the agency that provides an online place to shop for insurance, plans to place 2 million automated phone calls and knock on 200,000 doors, make personal phone calls, send mail, buy print and broadcast advertisements, and hold community meetings and enrollment fairs, according to The Boston Globe.

Now that state and federal officials have said that Massachusetts has software that will work, Connector leaders want to get people to log on and choose a plan, starting Nov. 15.

"We know who they are," said Robin Callahan, deputy Medicaid director, referring to the people in the temporary program. "We generally know where they are. We have to move them through a new application process."

The campaign could cost up to $19 million, money the state will seek from the federal government.

The Connector also hopes to reach out to about 50,000 people who did not sign up last year but might qualify, for a total outreach goal of 450,000.